Guenons - General Characteristics, Breeding, Habitat, Activity, Guenon Relatives, In Captivity

Guenons are small to medium-sized monkeys widespread throughout sub-Saharan Africa. These primates are classified in the infraorder of Old World simian primates (Cataffhina) and the family Cercopithecidae. Their genus, Cercopithecus, is large, very diverse, and successful.

The Cercopithecidae family consists of two subfamilies: the omnivorous Cercopithecinae (including guenons, talapoin, and baboons from Africa) and the vegetarian Colobinae. There are approximately 14 species of monkeys in the genus Cercopithecus and a total of over 70 subspecies. These species are: the grass monkey, L'Hoest's monkey, the diademed guenon, the diana monkey, De-Brazza's monkey, the mona monkey, the crowned guenon, the lesser white-nosed guenon, the red-bellied guenon, the greater white-nosed guenon, the mustached guenon, the owl-faced guenon, the dwarf guenon, and the swamp guenon. The red guenon has been classified in another genus altogether, Erythrocebus.